Receptacle closure



Jan. 31, 1928.

A. l. CONE RECEP'IACLE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 5, 1926 gwwntoc @QZ/raif 68721 Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

mman I. CONE, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

RECEPTACLE CLOSURE.

Application filed December This invention relates generally to receptacle closures, and has more particular reference to an improvement in sliding closures or cut-offs for sitter-top powder cans and the a like.

More particularly, the present invention relates to sliding cut-offs or closures of the above kind which are spring pressed to closed position and manually actuated to open position for permitting dispensing or sifting of the contents of the receptacle or can out of the latter.

The primary object of the present inven tion is to provide a closure of the above kind which is simple and durable in construction as well as efficient in operation.

A further object is to provide a closure construction of the above kind which may be cheaply and easily manufactured and assembled, and i which will be extremely eflicient and reliable inoperation.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide a spring of such form and so related to the sliding closure plate as ii to effectively force the latter to closing position with a preciable pressure or force, whereby acci ental opening of the closure by infants will be effectively guarded against.

-A still further object is to provide a construction embodyin simple and eflicient means for maintaining the sliding closure plate in intimate contact with the surface of thereceptacle or can top at all times so that seepage of the contents of the can between the top of the latter and the closure plate will be effectively prevented.

Still another object is to rovide an imroved form of actuating spring for the slidmg closure plate and simple and effective 40 means for mounting the same in the can top in operative relation to the closure plate and an actuating push button for the closure late, and wherein the spring will not interere with dispensing of the can contents in any way, when the closure plate is opened. Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

' Figure 1 is a top plan view of a powder 3, 1928. Serial No. 152,399.

Figure 3 isa bottom plan view of the top of the can shown in Figures 1 and 2, equipped with a sliding closure constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section on 4r-4 of Figure l and Figure 5 is a sectional view taken line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, an embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a cap 5 employed upon the body 6 of a powder can, thetop of the cap 5 being provided with a plurality of perforations 7 through which the contents of the can are adapted to be sifted or dispensed.

In accordance with the present invention the front of the rimor body of cap 5 is formed with an opening in which is fixed a tubular guide 8 rigid with and projecting inwardly from the cap body, and slidably fitted in the guide 8 is a hollow push button 9 closed at its outer end and open at its inner end. A flat closure or cut off plate 10 is slidably disposed against the under surface of the top of the cap 5 and has a rigid deupon line

pending arm 11 at its forward edge engaging V the inner end of the push button 9 under the action of an operating spring 12. The arm 11 is of a width greater than the diameter of the guide 8 so as to engage the inner end of the latter to act as a stop for the cut off plate 10 when the latter is slid forwardly to closed position by the spring 12. and in order to support the forward side of the cut off plate 10 in intimate contact with the top of the cap 5, the lower end of the arm 11 is provided with a forwardl projecting tongue or extension 13 whic projects into and rests upon the lower portion of the push button 9. The closure or out 01f plate 10 is provided with a slot or opening 14 adapted to register with the openings or perforations 7 when the plate 10 is slid rearwardly to the proper distance by applying pressure to the push button 9 against the action of spring 12. It is evident that when the plate 10 is so slid rearwardly, the contents of the can may be readily dispensed or sifted out of the latter,

while the portion of the plate 10 rearwardly of the opening 1- will effectively close the openings 7 and prevent dispensing of the can contents when the push button 9 isreleased and the plate 10 is automatically returned to its normal forwardly slid position by the spring 12. i

As shown, the spring 12 is formed from a single strip of resilient sheet metal so as to be of substantially loopsshape, the major intermediate portion of the strip. or spring bearing against the rear side of the body 5. In this way, the spring 12 may be shaped to conform and contact with the body, 5, for a great portion of its circumference so that the spring will act with maximum force in urging the plate 10 to closed position. This will make necessary the application of considerable forceto the push button 9 for openingthe closure plate 10 so that accidental opening of the closure on the part of infants is effectively guarded against. The ends of the strip from which the spring 12 is formed are brought together adjacent the inner side of the arm 11 so as to bear upon the latter and thereby subject the plate 10 to the actuating influence of said spring. These ends of the spring are provided with forwardly projecting contiguous extensions or extreme free endportions 15 which project forwardly through a vertical slot 10 in the arm 11 and into the push button 9 so as to rest upon the tongue or extension 13 of the arm 11, whereby the spring 12 is etl'ectively supported in its operative position within the push button 9, at this side. For supporting the spring 12 at the rear side of the can, the body of the latter is provided with a circumferential inwardly depressed rib or bead 17 upon which the intermediate portion of spring 12 rests at its lower edge. In this way the spring is efi'ectively heldin place, the same being readily evident when a it is remembered that the spring 12 is normally under tension and acting to expand even when the closure plate 10 is in its normal closed position.

In order to effectively maintain the closure plate 10 in intimate flat contact with the under surface of the top of can 5, at the rear side of said plate 10, the intermediate portion of the spring 12 is provided with a. plurality of upwardly and inwardly projecting spring tongues 18 which are arranged to bear against the under surface of the rear portion of plate 10 at all times and which are placed under tension by being flexed downwardly slightly when the spring 12 is placed in its operative position, the tongues engaging the plate 10 before the spring 12 is raised to its final operative position when inserted in the container. I

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a can closure which is extremely simple, durable and reliable in operation. It will also be seen that the construction may be readily manufactured and assembled at a relatively low cost to provide a most etiicient structure .which will not readily ct out of order.

From the above it is apparent that dispensing oi the can contents may be readily effected upon pressing inwardly upon the push button, and that when dispensing of the contents is no longer required, the openings 7 will be automatically closed by the spring 12 shifting the plate 10 to closed position upon release of push button 9.

Minor changes may be made parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:-

1. In combination, a body provided with a top having an opening, plate mounted at the under side of said top, a push member associated with said closure plate and exposed through one side of said body for sliding the closure plate so as to uncover said opening, and a circumferential loop spring horizontally mounted in the body with its free endslying in loose engagement with the inner end of the said )ush member and shaped at one side for atly contacting the side of the body opposite to the said push member for a material portion of its length, said spring ends being also operatively associated with a depending member of the closure plate for normally sliding the latter to :1V position for closing said opening, and for-holding the said depending member of the closure plate in its normal association with the said )ush member.

2. In combination, a be low body having a sliding closure without dea perforated top and a side opening, an inwardly projecting tubular guide rigid "with the body in registry with said opening, a hollow push button slidabl e in the guide, a sliding closure plate at the under side of said top havinga depending arm formed with a lateral extension projecting into and disengageably resting upon the lower inside of the push button to maintain one side of the closure plate in contact with the to a circumferential flat loop spring engagec at its free ends with the said push button and the said depending arm of the closure plate and resting in frictional engagement at its mid-section against the inner side of the hollow body at a pointopposite to the push button and the depending arm of the closureplate normally closing the closure plate and projecting the push button, and holding the depending arm of the closure plate in its normal position within and upon the lower inside of the push button, and spring tongues rising from said spring and bearing against the under side portion of the rear end of the said closure plate to maintain the latter elevated in intimate contact with the top at all times.

3. In a self-closing sifter receptacle having.

a perforated top and an 0 ening 1n the side wall of the receptacle for olding operating means for opening the receptacle, consisting of a hollow push button slidably engaged within a guide sleeve, in combination: a slidable erforated closure plate, lying in close sur ace contact with the inner side of said top and having a depending arm integral with said closure plate, adapted for connecting the said plate with the said push button in detachable engagement and for supporting the forward end of said plate; a horizontal band loop spring, being provided, at both ends thereof and integral therewith, with means for detachably engaging the operating means and the integral member of the closure plate which con nects the said closure plate with the operating means, and further rovided with means at the mid-section of the said spring, consisting of upwardly projecting spring members and integral with said spring, for bold ing the free end of the closure plate in close contact with the said receptacle top, the

said loop spring lying at its mid-section in flat frictional contact with the rear inner side of the side wall; and means provided by a horizontal inwardly projecting ridge inthe rear side of said wall for restraining the downward slipping of the spring at that point. i

4. In combination, a container top having an opening; operating means consisting of an externally exposed hollow push button slidably mounted in the side wall of the container within an inwardly projecting guide sleeve; a perforated slidable closure plate, mounted at the under side of said top, provided with a depending arm having a. forwardly projecting tongue lying in loose engagement within the hollow inner side ofsaid push button and adapted to hold the forward end of the said closure plate in intimate contact with the forward under side of said top, and manually operable by said push button to uncover the openin in the top; a circumferential spring provided at both ends with outwardly projecting tongues in loose engagement with the said depending arm of the closure plate and with the hollow inner side of the push button, the said spring resting at its mid section in frictional engagement against the inner side of the side wall opposite to the push-button and normally urging the push button outwardly and the closure plate to a position of closing the opening in the top; the said spring being further provided with spring tongues, rising therefrom and integral therewith, bearing against the under side of the closure plate at a position substantially opposite to the depending arm and adapted to hold that part of the closure plate in intimate contact with the container top.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALFRED I. CONE. 

